“What do you mean?”

I questioned John who stood in front of me. Though the question seemed to have come from serious discussion he sought a lively face while asking it.

“I mean what i just said?”

He replied with the same expression.

“Well, I thought you planned all of this.”

Mikhail stepped in and tried to reason.

“Yeah, I mean I did, but you must have discrepancies, right?” John questioned us which seemed logical to ask and also something did happen with us. I figured he must have got that information via Jin.

“Yeah, one of the–Generals was present. We fought her and then left the scene.” Mikhail answered hesitantly first, but quickly corrected and composed himself again.

“Oh!..”

“Jin almost killed her.” I said as I completed the scene. I walked in front of them and looked at Mikhail who looked worried as I said that. So, I completed my speech, “But, don't be worried–She won't be dead.”

I concluded which put everyone at ease. My conclusion was right in terms of that wound not being that lethal to her and judging by how some people were approaching the site, it was sure that she wouldn't be facing any dire consequences. But, to think she faced us all head on at the same time was pretty commendable and frightful.

I had heard that Generals of the War Council were strong, but for them being this strong certainly tells why their word means the judgement around the Pentacross.

“Don’t be too quick to judge my brother.” Naomi spoke out as we tried to reach an endpoint, “He did–what he had to in order to survive. Survival is the only thing that we have done from the beginning and that is what we continue to do.”

“But–that done at the cost of someone’s life?” Mikhail questioned her logic.

But Naomi showed no signs of surprise and didn’t stutter, instead she laughed softly and replied, “This is a dog-eat-dog world. No one’s your–not even you. Survival is something that you learn and implement, if you fail–you die. After all, it is Survival of the fittest, isn't it?”

She said and then turned around, “Jin and I have been through a lot and he’s done everything to protect me.” She started walking, but for an instance she stopped and then looked at me, “You know all about pain and suffering, don’t you? You must know how we feel?”

She completed and then walked away.

It is true that being a Quadrant and that too one being responsible for death really teaches you a lot about life in general. Pain and Suffering are a part of becoming in anyone’s life, yet that being said the definition of pain is different for all human beings and it is also different in the way they cope with it.

I do not know what happened with them, but it seems that their coping is tied with how they see their life now.

Moreover, there was one thing that bothered me about all the Ravens along with John….

Humans have to be afraid of something. There is nothing demeaning about that statement, but it is fact. That is how we are, but sometimes and only sometimes a human forgets all their fear and lets themselves free.

Although situations like this require some conditions to be fulfilled, in the case of the Ravens it felt like they were afraid of nothing….

How do I know that?

Well, it is fairly simple, even one who claims to be not afraid of anything, still is afraid of one thing and that is Death. Regular humans cannot really look me in the eye as they somewhat reflect the essence of death.

But Neither John nor The Ravens had any problem with me. I only concluded that they must have seen situations which led them to not be afraid and traverse through life fearlessly.

“Well, let's take this discussion somewhere else.” John said and then signalled us to follow him, “I think you know someone here, don’t you?” He said as he looked towards Avon.

Avon was surprised, but then instantly composed himself and then walked ahead of everyone.

“Follow me.”

He said and then walked straight.

We covered our faces, although John being with us changed the scenario and no one could really engage us, but still I preferred precautions.

As we were walking, John slowly trailed behind and so did I. We tried making it as subtle as possible,

“What’s the matter?”

He asked me as if he already knew that I was going to backtrack him.

“Pain and suffering?”

I asked him vaguely which prompted a sweet chuckle from him.

“Everyone has their own way of expressing their feelings, besides they’re siblings. They are supposed to support each other.”

“I agree, although I am curious to know your suffering..”

“You are concerned about why we don’t react to your eyes, aren't you?”

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“You are very quick to catch onto things,”

I said which made him stop for a second, but then he quickly replied, “That has been a problem for me from the very beginning.”

He started walking again, “In some ways we both are the same.”

He said as he caught up with me.

“What ways?”

“You and I–we both think that the thing we have is a curse rather than a boon.”

He replied with a smile as he tried to lift the tension.

“It is my duty.”

“It was, Mortis…”

He corrected me and then continued, “You were the Quadrant of Death, now you’re just an exiled member with some assets left or something like a glitch in the system.”

I stopped for a moment and then replied, “That’s right.”

Because it was true that I wasn’t what I used to be, those aren’t my duties anymore, but every time I tried thinking that I saw Ishi’s face.

I always thought that I won’t ever forgive myself for letting her die like that.

As I stood there with my thoughts accumulated in my mind and head, John swiftly walked towards me and leaned towards my ear saying, “Don’t worry, we’ll fix this.”

I snapped back to my consciousness and looked at him walking away again. Even though he had answered all the questions and even though he knew a lot of things, I still had to ask him something.

“You know what will happen, right? Are you willing to take that risk?”

I asked him which made him look back.

“This world is a shattered mirror, join the pieces and it will still be a broken mirror. Instead, why don't you get a new one..”

He replied to which I quickly prompted, “That means throwing away the old one.”

“Well, a wise man once said, ‘To get something, you gotta lose something first.’”

He replied and signalled me to follow him.

We walked for another five minutes before reaching an old tavern. It was old yet it was big enough to handle as many customers as you would want.

We walked in through the door and sat on a clean blank table on one of the corners. Avon looked at me and nodded.

He walked straight towards the counter.

“What do you want?” The man behind the counter asked him. THe man didn’t look at him and was rather engrossed in his work.

“Nine glasses.,” He said and then placed his hands in his pockets and removed a medallion of sorts, “Eight for us and one for the ‘Crimson Death’”.

He looked up as soon as Avon completed his sentence. His face delighted and his hands stopped moving.

“Avon?”

He said and then called out to his wife, “Mary!”

He walked behind the counter in a room and called her again, “He’s here, Mary. Avon’s here.”

A woman came in running towards the counter with her face all elated and her eyes filled with tears. She looked at her husband and then again towards Avon. She hugged Avon tightly and in the meanwhile, his Uncle cleaned up the entire Tavern by kicking half of the drunkards out and requesting the other half to leave as he announced that they were closed now.

“You’re okay?”

His Uncle asked him.

“Yes, I am.” He said and then looked at me, “I found him.” he completed to which both of them tidied themselves and just like Avon, they kneeled in front of me with their heads facing the ground.

“Glad to see you again, my liege.”

They both said at the same time.

I was not new to respect, but my surroundings were–well at least my new-found friends, because John stood there as if this was something he had to deal with everyday.

“I am not a Quadrant anymore and I don’t hold any authority. So, you don’t have to do this.” I said as I got up from my seat and walked in front of them.

“Our allegiance lies not with the Throne, but with one that sits on it.”

I had no response, but I still felt that I did not deserve this respect.

“Respect should be accepted no matter what and it is because they have their undying devotion towards you and if you don’t accept it then it is an insult to their devotion.”

John Gloom said as he got up from his place.

I composed myself again.

“Rise,” I said.

They stood back up and walked towards the counter.

“Who are they?” He asked as he pointed towards Mikhail and everyone, “Accomplices?”

“No,” I said as I took a breath and looked at them again, “Friends.”

I had been through all tough-ships, but they saved me in all possible situations and the gratitude they owe from me was more than anything. Though, I wouldn’t call them my collaborators, but rather I now care about them more than anything.

“That one too?” He said which I felt was pointed towards John.

“John,” Avon’s uncle said as he stopped midway.

“Vincent,” John replied in the exact same way.

“What are you doing here?” Vincent asked him and then chuckled for a second and continued, “Or maybe I know why…”

“Oh, you know a lot of things, don’t you? But, I am here for something different.”

Vincent quickly stepped forward and answered swiftly, “John, you may have helped me, but I am not going to provide with any information–”

“Calm down,” John said as he walked forward, but then Mary stepped in between to stop him.

“I want you guys to take care of him.” He said as he looked at him.

“Take care? Why do you care?” He asked him.

“I need him and we have a prior deal.” John replied and then walked towards me, “Now, what exactly happened there?”

I explained to him the entire scene which he listened to carefully. He sat down silently and thought about it for some time.

“Someone’s framing you.” Vincent said.

“That seems the case,” John said as he stood up again, “But if that’s the case, then they know a lot of things. They have access to sensitive information, and they know about Mortis.”

Vincent nodded along, “What do you want me to do?”

“Take care of him.” John said and then looked at us, “Don’t do anything until I ask you to do something. Stay low and enjoy the festival of Artium, The Forum”

He walked towards the door behind him and the Ravens followed him. I followed him too.

He leaned over my shoulder and said, “I think I know where Alias is…”

‘He knows where she is?’

I tried questioning him back, but he shushed me and walked away through the door. It felt like he didn’t trust anyone in the room, except me.

But, all the matters aside, if I could confirm if Alias is alive, then there is still hope.

Hope that things may become right.